INF1505/MO001/4/2017

MO001/4/2017

Introduction to Business Information

Systems
INF1505

Semester 1 & 2

School of Computing

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

This is an online module. Please activate your myUnisa and myLife email
addresses and ensure you have regular access to the myUnisa module site
INF1505-2017-S1 or S2 as well as your group site.
1 INTRODUCTION
Dear Student

This is a fully online module, and therefore most your module material is available on
myUnisa.

However, in order to support you in your learning process, this tutorial letter summarizes the
facilities that are available on myUnisa.

In addition, Business Information Systems is done online, so myUnisa is mainly used as a

communication and delivery mechanism.

1.1 COURSE EMAIL INF1505-17-S1@unisa.ac.za

1.2 HOME PAGE

Refer to the correct module code when contacting your lecturer for support.

Since the general focus in this module is on Business Information Systems the
primary means of communication and support is done over the Internet.

1.3 Overview of the online tools

For this module, we are going to be using the following tools on myUnisa to guide
you in your studies:
 Home page / Welcome
 Announcements / email notification
 Schedule
 Learning Units
 Discussions: This is an online discussion forum
 Additional Resources
 Course Contact
 Questions and Answers
 Blogs

Inside the Discussions, there are several discussion forums where you will be
asked to discuss ideas and post your discussions online.

1.4 ASSIGNMENTS
Use this page to submit your MCQs and the portfolio. You can also view your assignment
marks here. The assignment questions can be found in the Additional Resources or
Learning Units folder in myUnisa.

1.5 ANNOUNCEMENTS
The first announcement on this page notifies you that we use the Osprey forum for general
announcements. To ensure all students take note of important announcements, this facility
will be used only when we want to send an important notification to all students.
Announcements are e-mailed to your Unisa myLife account – make sure that you check this
regularly too or FORWARD it to your regular mail account. Announcements are also
duplicated on the Osprey forum.

2
 INF1505/MO001/4/2017

1.6 OFFICIAL STUDY MATERIAL

Here you will find the PDF versions of printed tutorial letters you have received, as well as
past exam papers and the SOCALLO (tutorial letter 301).

1.7 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Here you will find all further tutorial letters. The reason they are posted here is because they
are generally drafted after previous exam marks have become available and we have
assessed which sections of work require more focus. It may also contain other resources
depending on how the semester progresses. You will receive a notification when such
resources are uploaded, so make sure you check your myLife email account regularly.

1.8 SCHEDULE / DIARY

Here you will find reminders of important current events and information like assignment and
exam dates.

1.9 DISCUSSION FORUM

The purpose of the discussion forum is to provide students with a platform to discuss
module-related queries and share ideas and comments with fellow students. The advantage
is that students often experience the same type of problems and if a query is placed on the
discussion forum, everybody has access to solutions. These forums also have a tutor on
board, who will, together with the lecturer/s, assist you with your queries. We do not
necessarily provide a solution, but rather make use of comments and hints to guide students
to a solution.

We request that you use the discussion forum for all electronic communication with your
lecturers (not email). The lecturer/s and tutor have access to this forum and monitor it on a
daily basis (sometimes several times a day).

1.10 PRESCIBED BOOKS

The prescribed book is listed here.

Name: MIS6
Authors: Hossein Bidgoli.
Year: 2016.
ISBN: 978-1-305-63200-4 OR 978-1-305-49810-5

You may use MIS versions 4, 5 or 6 as available in stores.

1.11 LEARNING UNITS

The learning units presented below describe the applied and knowledge objectives of each
chapter. That is, after studying each chapter, you should be able to do the activities in the
applied section, and talk intelligently about the points in the knowledge section.

3
CHAPTER ONE

LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Discuss common applications of computers and information systems.
LO2 Explain the differences between computer literacy and information literacy.
LO3 Define transaction processing systems.
LO4 Define management information systems.
LO5 Describe the four major components of an information system.
LO6 Discuss the differences between data and information.
LO7 Explain the importance and applications of information systems in functional areas of a
business.
LO8 Discuss how information technologies are used to gain a competitive advantage.
LO9 Explain the Five Forces Model and strategies for gaining a competitive advantage.
L1O Review the IT job market.
L11 Summarize the future outlook of information systems.

CHAPTER TWO
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Define a computer system and describe its components.
LO2 Discuss the history of computer hardware and software.
LO3 Explain the factors distinguishing computing power of computers.
LO4 Summarize computer operations.
LO5 Discuss the types of input, output, and memory devices.
LO6 Explain how computers are classified.
LO7 Describe the two major types of software.
LO8 List the generations of computer languages.

CHAPTER THREE
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Define a database and a database management system.
LO2 Explain logical database design and the relational database model.
LO3 Define the components of a database management system.
LO4 Summarize recent trends in database design and use.
LO5 Explain the components and functions of a data warehouse.
LO6 Describe the functions of a data mart.
LO7 Define business analytics, and describe its role in the decision-making process.
LO8 Explain big data and its business applications.

4
 INF1505/MO001/4/2017

CHAPTER FOUR
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Discuss information privacy and methods for improving the privacy of information.
LO2 Explain the effects on information privacy of e-mail, data collection, and censorship.
LO3 Discuss the ethical issues related to information technology.
LO4 Discuss the principles of intellectual property and issues related to the infringement
of intellectual property.
LO5 Discuss information system issues that affect organizations, including the digital divide,
electronic publishing, and on the connection between the workplace and employees’ health.
LO6 Describe green computing and the ways it can improve the quality of the environment.

CHAPTER FIVE
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Describe information technologies that could be used in computer crimes.
LO2 Describe basic safeguards in computer and network security.
LO3 Explain the major security threats.
LO4 Describe security and enforcement measures.
LO5 Summarize the guidelines for a comprehensive security system, including business
continuity planning.

CHAPTER SIX
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Describe major applications of a data communication system.
LO2 Explain the major components of a data communication system.
LO3 Describe the major types of processing configurations.
LO4 Explain the three types of networks.
LO5 Describe the main network topologies.
LO6 Explain important network concepts, such as bandwidth, routing, routers, and the client/server
model.
LO7 Describe wireless and mobile technologies and networks.
LO8 Discuss the importance of wireless security and the techniques used.
LO9 Summarize the convergence phenomenon and its applications for business and personal use.

CHAPTER SEVEN
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Describe the makeup of the Internet and World Wide Web.
LO2 Discuss navigational tools, search engines, and directories.
LO3 Describe common Internet services.
LO4 Summarize widely used Web applications.
LO5 Explain the purpose of intranets.

5
LO6 Explain the purpose of extranets.
LO7 Summarize new trends in the Web 2.0 and 3.0 eras and Internet 2.
LO8 Describe the Internet of Everything.

CHAPTER EIGHT
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Define e-commerce, and describe its advantages, disadvantages, and business models.
LO2 Explain the major categories of e-commerce.
LO3 Describe the business-to-consumer e-commerce cycle.
LO4 Summarize the major models of business-to-business e-commerce.
LO5 Describe mobile-based and voice-based e-commerce.
LO6 Explain three supporting technologies for e-commerce.

CHAPTER TEN
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Describe the systems development life cycle (SDLC) as a method for developing information
systems.
LO2 Explain the tasks involved in the planning phase.
LO3 Explain the tasks involved in the requirements-gathering and analysis phase.
LO4 Explain the tasks involved in the design phase.
LO5 Explain the tasks involved in the implementation phase.
LO6 Explain the tasks involved in the maintenance phase.
LO7 Describe new trends in systems analysis and design, including service-oriented architecture,
rapid application development, extreme programming, and agile methodology.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Explain how supply chain management is used.
LO2 Describe customer relationship management systems.
LO3 Describe knowledge management systems.
LO4 Describe enterprise resource planning systems.

CHAPTER TWELVE
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Describe the phases of the decision-making process in a typical organization and the types of
decisions that are made.
LO2 Describe a decision support system.
LO3 Explain an executive information system’s importance in decision making.
LO4 Describe group support systems, including groupware and electronic meeting systems.
LO5 Summarize the uses for a geographic information system.
LO6 Describe the guidelines for designing a management support system.

6
 INF1505/MO001/4/2017

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Define artificial intelligence, and explain how AI technologies support decision making.
LO2 Describe an expert system, its applications, and its components.
LO3 Describe case-based reasoning.
LO4 Summarize the types of intelligent agents and how they are used.
LO5 Describe fuzzy logic and its uses.
LO6 Explain artificial neural networks.
LO7 Describe how genetic algorithms are used.
LO8 Explain natural-language processing and its advantages and disadvantages.
LO9 Summarize the advantages of integrating AI technologies into decision support systems.
L1O Explain contextual computing.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO1 Summarize new trends in software and service distribution.
LO2 Describe virtual reality components and applications.
LO3 Discuss uses of radio frequency identification.
LO4 Explain quick response codes.
LO5 Summarize new uses of biometrics.
LO6 Describe new trends in networking, including grid, utility, and cloud computing.
LO7 Discuss uses of nanotechnology.

© Unisa 2017